Method of and apparatus for dehydrating vegetable and other substances.



G. H. BENJAMIN.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING VEGETABLE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1918.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI I G. H. BENJAMIN.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING VEGETABLE AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, I9III.

Patented Nov. 12, I918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

STATES PATENT-OFFI a gnome scrum. roan, my.

-un'rnon or m 'urmrusron nnmumo vnon'rnnn om: sun- Mama swam-"W Be .fit. lmow that "I, Gnomes iHmnmn.v

assum a either; 'of the UnitedQStates, residing at New York, in-fthexcounty and" Stateof N ewYork; have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Methods ing observed facts:

--.-stance',1convected heat. 3 i p That exudation. otmmsture from a t ble andfother Substances, of following isa specification.v Y e M'y invention is based ,upon .the follow-- .(Q) That a body containing. water will J more readily exude water'under the action of radiant heat, than :bythe applicat on of. other-forms of applied .heat, as-for 1111.

4 sure exertedjoverthe body. V

'(c) Thatffapidgidhydration resultsif the body is;v alternately subjected vto the successive action Qfrldlallt heat, and or partially idehydrated air cu rents.

(01) That the most .gafiectiv and rapidv gaao ertetarinant I PatentedNov. 12, 1918. agn sium-1.191s. 7 Serial r assess. I

mean its original condition so far as relates to its structure, chemical and physical appearanceyandso .far' as the apparatus is concerned, to thecon'struction employed, by means ofwhich the method above described maybe most economically duce a commercialproduct.

"The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate twoorms which my apparatus may have, to carry out my inventlon, in w-h1ch:

Figure 1 is a view, partially partially in horizontal "section.

' Fig. 2 is a view, partially in elevation and. partially in vertical section, taken in plan and 1 along the line IIII of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partially in vertical sectionand partially in horizontal section, taken along'thesamelines as Fig. 2, and intended to illustrate a difierent position v of thecontrolling dampers from that shown in Fig. 2. I

.Fi 4' 's a perspective view of the trays employed in the construction shown in 1 1 to 5 inclusive.

. 5' is .a transverse vertical section dehydratiomj'without' physicallyior chemitaken on the line VV of Fig. 2.

cally afl'ecting the structure" of the material acted upon, is accomplished by subjecting the body acted on to the action of radiant .heatjand moving'hcated air currents, the heat beingfapplied for twicejthe length of time the aircurrents are caused to pass over the bod or in other words that-the timefreq'uire a. for; exudation, 'un or given conditions, isfaproximatelytwice the length of timegrequired to absorblthe exuded water by air fcurrents under given conditions.

I wish to. have it understood that the above stated observed facts are not to be considered as invariable with all materials and under all conditions of. practice, but will be. modified by variations of material, 2'. e.,fpercentage of water contained, hysical structure ofthe material, degree 0 temperature of the applied heat, the volume and. speed of the an currents, and the means employed 'to apply the radiantheat "and convected air'currents. 4

The object of my invention, -so

{the method 1is-concerned, is to obtain a product which'may be stored for anyl length 85 warmwater, and by original condition I pf time and which may be broug p t back. to" its originalcondition by immersion 1n applied to prom the blower is connected to a casing, 13,

which in turn is connected with a casing 14, divided by a partition 15 into; two compartments 16 and 17, each of which is adapted to contain a wagon 18, carrying a series of superposed trays. 19, and a series of electric.

heating" devices 20.. The casing 14 is connested at one'end to a vertical casing 21, connected at its top to an exhaust air trunk 22, which in turn is connected to the inlet 23'of the blower 10 through flue 24 and to the external air through flues 2526. 27 indicates a damper which may be place either in the position showh infull lines ig. 2) in through the casings 13, 14 and 21, trunk 22,

' back to blower 10, belng continuously circulated. Conversely, when the damper is in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2,

the air is drawn \in through the flue 26 through the inlet of the .blower, then through the casings "and trays, then discharged into the atmos here through the flue 25. Dampera 28 an 29 are provided for controlling admission of air to the trays in the compartments 1.6' and 17. When these dampers are in the position shown in full lines, Fig. 1, i. e., that of damper 29, the air from the blower will pass through both sets of trays; when the dampers are 1n the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, i. e., t at of damper 28, the air from the blower will not pass through either set of trays; when the damp ers are in the position shown in Fig. 1, i. e., damper 28 closed and 29 opened, the air from the blower will pass through one set of trays and not through the other. These dampers can be moved as desired,'by means of handles 30 on the top of the casing 14.

Situated within the casing 13, and in front of the exit orifice 12 of the blower 10, is

, a heater 31, which may be connected to any suitable source of steam or other heat, and in front of the heater, in casing 14, is a device 32 for vaporizingwater. The character of this devi ce may be any that is known and suitable for the purpose.

i Mounted in front of the vaporizing device 32, are three dampers 33, 34, 35, adapted to have their positions changed as desired; for instance, when the dampers are in the osi- )tion shown in Fig. 2, the air is passing a ong the top of the casing 14 and over the two uppermost trays on each wagon (supposing both dampers 2829 to be 0' en) ;.whenthe dampers are in the position s own in Fig. 3, with the dampers 3335 in the cut-off position, the air is supposed to be passing over the twocenter trays, and when the dampers 3334 are in the cut-off position and the damper 35 in tl e open position, as shown'by dotted lines, the air is supposed to be passing over the two lower trays. In practice I refer that the movement of the dampers s all be such that each series of trays shall be cut off from the moving air currents for approximately twice the length of time they '.are exposed to the moving air currents, as

find, in practice, that it re uires about twice the length of time to exu e the amount of moisture which will be absorbed by the moving air currents in one half of the time.

I do not limit myself in any wise to the mechanism which may be used to move the dampers 33-34-35. A device. suitable for the purpose is illustrated, and consists of a worm 36, mounted on horizontal shaft 37, driven through a pulley 38 and belt 39 from blower shaft 40. The motion communicated to the worm 36 is transmitted to worm wheel 41 on shaft 42. On the end of this shaft is especially desi motion to the ro s 44-45-46, as the cam is moved. The design of the cam is such that no motion is imparted to each rod separately during two thirds of its movement; thus, as

above stated, provision is made for shifting a damper to permit the ingress of air for one minute, and allowing the damper to remain closed for two minutes, the dampers 333435 moving in successive order. I

wish it understoodthat I do not limit myself in any wise to the time of moving the clampers, as the time the dampers remain open or remain closed will depend upon many factors, as for instance, temperature, velocity -of movement and-pressure of the convected air currents, temperature of the radiant heat employed, characteristics of the material acted upon, so far as relates to exudation of moisture, etc.

The heating device 20 forming part of wagon 18, consists of a series of electric lamps 50, which are situated under and over the trays, and connected in parallel across the conductors 51-52 connected to the bottom of the car, which conductors are adapted to cooperate through switches 5354 with terminal conductors 55-456 connected ed cam 43, which gives giving the bottom of the trays the shape 1 lustrated, is to increase the surface and to facilitate the passage of the air through the trays. The electric lamps 50, shown in Fig. 2, are located in pairs under the base of each inverted V, formed in the bottom of the. tray. I do not limit myself in any wise to the particular construction of the trays shown. The trays may be the ordinary trays with a flat bottom as commonly employed. I, however, consider the trays with the bottoms formed ofa succession of inverted Vs, preferable.

Referring now to Fig. 7; the construction there shown 1s substantially the same ,as that in Fig. 2, with the exception that instead of dividing the casing 14 into two receptacles, it is formed as a single receptacle 63, and this receptacle is provided with two linked belts 65-66, adapted to be driven at different speeds by means of the wheels 67 -68. Connected to the link belts, that is, secured'to each alternate link, are a series electric lights 50, in

of V-shaped trays 69 formed of reticulate material. Situated in the top of the casing is a feed hopper 70 and feed'wheel 71. The the construction shown in Fig. 7, are situatedunder and over each belt. Situated down at the left'ha'nd corner of the bottom of Fig. 7, is a worm 72, upon which the material received from the belt 66 is discharged from the machine. The

receptacles '61 and 69 are closed by doors 73.

The operation of my improved device will be readily understood. The material to be heated is deposited on the trays 19 (Fig. 1) or on the receptacles 69 (Fig. 7). [The air is then transmitted through the casings 13-14, passing over the heater 31, and thence over the material receptacles; thence to vertical flue 21 to flue 22, back to the blower to be again circulated, or alternately discharged through flue 25 into the atmosphere. The horizontal level of the moving air currents across the trays or across the receptacles 69,-is determined by the position of the dampers 333435 at the time. As previously explained, the air in passing over the material on the trays or the receptacles 69, absorbs the exuded moisture. As soon as this moisture has been. absorbed, the air current is cut ofl by closing the dampers. This relieves the material upon the trays or in the receptacles 69 from pressure, and allows exudation to be reestablished, and simultaneously closing of the dampers being inv successive order. At the same time the air currents are being directed in successive horizontal levels, radiant heat is generated at each series of trays or receptacles, by means of the electric lights 50. The radiant heat is absorbed by the material under treatment, about exudation. At the same time the light rays serve to dissipate or break up-what may be termed the fog vapors due to the absorption by the moving air currents, of the exuded moisture, the action of the light rays-being very similar to the action of the sun upon fog. It is for this reason I prefer to use the electric lights as a means for generating radiant heat. Steam pipes or other forms of heated devices might e used to generate the radiant heat, but while transmitting mechanical heat rays these rays lack the velocity of mechanical electric light rays which act both as heat rays and as a means for dissipating moisture fog; and therefore facilitate rapid drying.

Practice has demonstrated that hot fogs which are produced in dehydrating appa of the moisture; by the moving air currents, tend to bug or ratus, through absorption he close to the material acted upon, and that the electric light rays break up these GM g separate them, drive them away, and

in the trays or' the damper is opened over another set of trays or receptacles, the opening andthus prevent them from acting as blankets or fog diaphragms to interfere with the action of the heat rays, whether the heat rays are radiated or convected.

Generally, I wish it understood that the apparatus which I have shown, is such as I t ink best adapted to carry my improved method into effect, but it will be manifest to those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs, that other apparatus may be used for the same purpose and without departing,to any considerable extent, from the steps of the method as hereinbefore outlined.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of dehydrating described, which consists in subjecting the body to be dehydrated to the action of radiant heat for a sufiicient time to induce exudation of the contained moisture, and at intervals to the action of heated air currents.

2. The method of dehydrating described, which consists in subjecting the body to be dehydrated to the action of radiant heat for a sufiicient time to induce exudation of the contained moisture, and at spaced intervals to the action of heated air currents.

' 3. The method of dehydrating described, which consists in subjecting the body to. be dehydrated to the action of radiant heat for a sufiicient time to induce exudation of the contained moisture, and at spaced intervals time after each interval to absorb t e exuded moisture from the body under treatment.

4. The method of dehydrating described, which consists in subjecting the bodyto be dehydrated to the simultaneous action of radiant heat and electric light for a sufficient time to induce exudation of the contained moisture and dissipate moisture fog in immediate proximity to the 'body under treatment, and at successive intervals to the action of heated air currents for sufficient time to pick up the exuded moisture.

5. The method of dehydrating described, which consists in subjecting the body to be dehydrated to the action of heat for a sufficient time to induce exudation of the contained moisture, and at successive intervals 7. The method of dehydrating described,

( cut at the time of the application of the air the material to be de currents.

8. In a dehydrating apparatus,-the combination .of a blower, a casing connected to the delivery orifice of the blower, an air heater 1n said casing, a series of receptacles for supporting the material to be dehydrated, a

serles of vertically disposed normally closed dampers situated between the blower and the material to be dehydrated, together with means for independently actuating said dampers whereby the air currents projected by the blower will be permitted, at intervals, to pass over'the material to be dehydrated. w

9. In a dehydrating apparatus, the combination of a blower, a casing connected to the delivery orifice of the blower, an air heater and a water spraying device in said casing, a series of receptacles for supportin ydrated, a series o vertically disposed normally closed dampers situated between the blowers and the material to be dehydrated, together with means for independently actuating-said dampers, whereby the air currents projected by the blower will be permitted, at intervals, pass over the material to be dehydrated.

10. In a dehydrating apparatus, the combination of a blower, a casing connected to the delivery orifice of the blower, an air heater and a water spraying device in said casing, means for supporting the material; to

open for a determined limit of time before the opening of successive dampers.

11. In a dehydrating apparatus, the com-- bination with receptacles for supporting the material to be dehydrated, of a series of electric lights so located as to transmit tothe material to be dehydrated, radiant heat and electric light rays.

12. In a dehydrating apparatus and in combination with receptacles for holding the material to be dehydrated, said receptacles formedof a reticulatematerial constructed to form 'a series of V-shaped sections, a series of electric li hts located in proximity to such V-shape sections, and adapted to transmit radiant heat and electric light to the material in such receptacles.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

1 GEORGE HILLARD BENJAMIN. 

